To efficiently recognize characters from several character sets, a palmtop computer system is disclosed wherein more that one character input area is displayed. Each character input area is designed to recognize strokes that represent characters from a different character set. In one embodiment, the palmtop computer system has an alphabetic input area and a numeral input area. In such an embodiment, strokes entered in the alphabetic input area are interpreted as alphabetic characters and strokes entered in the numeral input area are interpreted as numerals.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A computer implement method of inputting information into a palmtop computer system, the palmtop computer system having a housing and a display screen accessible on the housing, the method comprising: detecting a user input stroke entered onto one of a first handwriting input area or a second handwriting input area, the first handwriting input area and the second handwriting input area being provided on the display screen; translating the user input stroke as a character from one of a set of alphabet characters or a set of number characters in response to the user input stroke being entered onto one of the first handwriting input area or the second handwriting input area, wherein the step of translating the user input stroke includes translating the user input stroke as an alphabet character in response to detecting the stroke being entered onto the first handwriting input area, and wherein the step of translating the user input stroke includes translating the user input stroke as a number character in response to detecting the stroke being entered onto the second handwriting input area; and immediately displaying the character translated from one of the set of alphabet characters or the set of number characters automatically after translating the user input stroke, so that the character is displayed prior to a subsequent user input stroke being detectable.
2. A computer implement method of inputting information into a palmtop computer system, the palmtop computer system having a housing and a display screen accessible on the housing, the method comprising: detecting a user input stroke entered onto one of a first handwriting input area or a second handwriting input area, the first handwriting input area and the second handwriting input area being provided on the display screen; performing at least one of the following steps of translating the user input stroke: translating the user input stroke as a character from a first character set in response to detecting that the user input stroke is entered onto the first handwriting input area; translating the user input stroke as a character from a second character set in response to detecting that the user input stroke is entered onto the second handwriting input area; and displaying the character translated from one of the first character set or the second character set automatically after translating the user input stroke, so that the character is displayed prior to a user being able to enter a subsequent user input stroke onto one of the first handwriting input area or the second handwriting area.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein translating the user input stroke as a character from a first character set includes translating the character from the set comprising the Roman alphabet.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein translating the user input stroke as a character from a second character set includes translating the character from the set comprising Arabic numerals.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein translating the user input stroke includes recognizing the character as being from one of the first character set or from the second character set immediately after a mechanism used to create the user input stroke is lifted off of the display screen.
6. A palmtop computer system comprising: a housing; a contact-sensitive display screen accessible on the housing, the display screen providing a first handwriting input area forming a first subarea of the display screen, and a second handwriting input area forming a second subarea of the display screen; and a processor configured to translate a user input stroke entered onto the first handwriting input area as a character from a first character set, and to interpret a user input stroke entered onto the second handwriting input area as a character from a second character set; and wherein the processor is configured to immediately display the character interpreted from the user input stroke on the display screen in response to interpreting the character from one of the first character set or the second character set, wherein the processor is configured to that the character is displayed before a user is capable of entering a subsequent user input stroke.
7. The palmtop computer system of claim 6 , wherein said first character set comprises Roman alphabet characters.
8. The palmtop computer system of claim 7 wherein said second character set comprises Arabic numerals.
9. The palmtop computer system of claim 6 wherein the processor interprets the user input stroke immediately after the user input stroke is completed.
10. The palmtop computer system of claim 6 , wherein the display screen includes a digitizer pad coupled to the processor to detect contact by an object to the play screen.
11. The palmtop computer system of claim 10 , wherein the digitizer pad extends beyond a screen of the display screen to form a handwriting recognition portion, the handwriting recognition portion containing the first subarea and the second subarea.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein translating the user input stroke includes recognizing the character as being from one of the set of alphabet characters or number characters immediately after the user input stroke is completed.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 14, 2000
May 20, 2003
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